Aroya Cruises, the Saudi-owned line known for its Arabian-style onboard experience, is stretching its wings in the Mediterranean. For summer 2027, the line has unveiled a significantly expanded programme sailing from Galataport in Istanbul — its homeport — with departures beginning in May.
The headline additions: Aroya's first overnight stays in Egypt on selected itineraries, brand-new ports of call, and the line's first-ever two-week voyages. Alexandria is also stepping up as a second embarkation port, meaning more guests can join or leave ships mid-route rather than committing to a single round trip.
The core summer offering is built around six-, seven- and eight-night cruises linking Turkey, Egypt and Greece, with Aroya making its first visits to Nafplion in Greece and Antalya on Turkey's Turquoise Coast. But the eye-catching sailings are the two 14-nighters. The first, departing Istanbul in June, sweeps the Mediterranean east to west, calling at Catania, Salerno, Civitavecchia, Cagliari, La Goulette in Tunisia and Valletta in Malta. The second, in July, is the line's Adriatic debut, taking in Katakolon, Sarandë in Albania, Bar in Montenegro, Trieste, Zadar, Korčula and Bari. Both long cruises offer interporting in Italy, so you can start or finish in Civitavecchia (for Rome) or Trieste.
That's not all. Aroya is also launching its first Mediterranean winter season, running from October 2026 with seven-night itineraries from Istanbul to Egypt and Turkey, including overnight calls in Alexandria plus stops in Kusadasi and Marmaris.
Company commercial executive director Ala Tashkandi framed the expansion around partnerships — positioning the growth as good news for ports and local tourism economies as much as for cruisers. The practical upshot for travellers, though, is simple: a cruise line offering a distinctly Middle Eastern service style and dining culture is now competing across far more of the Med, from Istanbul to the Adriatic, in both peak summer and the quieter winter months.
Why it matters: if you've been curious about Aroya but based in Europe or beyond, the new embarkation options and two-week itineraries make it far easier to sample the line without flying to the Gulf. The winter Egypt sailings, with those slow overnight stays in Alexandria, are arguably the most interesting — you get evening time ashore rather than a rushed few hours in port.
